Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa

This Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa recipe combines the great spicy, smoky flavor from dried chile de arbol and the tang of tomatillos with other fresh ingredients for the ultimate homemade salsa!

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There’s a Mexican restaurant that my family and I go to that has a great salsa.  Not the house salsa they bring to your table, the good stuff you have to ask for. 

I’ve been trying to recreate it at home, and I have finally done it with Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa!  My husband actually said that it’s BETTER than the salsa at the restaurant! 

If you’ve been with Flavorful Eats for a while, you know there are already multiple salsas on the blog.  Why am I adding another one?  Because of my love for the chile de arbol!

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What are chiles de arbol?

Chile de arbol is a chile pepper that you can find both fresh and dried, but you’ll probably have more luck finding the dried version.  I use the dried chiles in this salsa. 

The chile peppers are about 2-3 inches long and have a dark reddish, brownish color.  They are hotter than a jalapeno, but not quite as hot as a cayenne pepper. 

They add nice heat to the salsa, but also a slightly smoky flavor too.  If you can’t find them in the stores, you can get them HERE from Amazon. 

Ingredients needed to make this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

• Tomatillos
• Tomato
• Jalapenos
• Cilantro
• Onion
• Garlic
• Salt & pepper
• Dried chile de arbol

How to make Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa:

1. Add the tomatillos, jalapenos, dried chile de arbol, and tomato to a large skillet.  Roast over medium/medium-high for 5-7 minutes, occasionally using tongs to pick them up and turn them over so that each side gets a nice char. 
2. When all sides are done, add to a blender or food processor with one smashed clove of garlic and salt and pepper.
3. Pour the salsa in a bowl then and add the onion and cilantro.  Stir to combine.

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If you’re wondering where I got the gorgeous bowl in the photo above, it came as part of a taco serving set.  It includes taco holders, salsa spoons, and this pretty bowl. 

You can get it HERE from Amazon.  The whole set is gorgeous and perfect for Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo!

How long is homemade salsa good for?  Can I freeze salsa?

Homemade salsa can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days. 

This salsa can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 4 months, however, the texture of the salsa may change since tomatoes contain a lot of water.  

Looking for more salsa and Mexican condiment recipes?  Here are some favorites:

• Easy Homemade Salsa
• Roasted Tomatillo & Avocado Salsa
• Pickled Mexican Hot Carrots (shown below)
• Fiery Habanero Hot Sauce
• Avocado Pico de Gallo
• Roasted Tomato Habanero Salsa

NOTES:

• An alternative to roasting the veggies in a pan is to put them under the broiler, checking them every 1-2 minutes, and turning as needed.
• I would call the heat level of this salsa “medium hot”.  It’s not as hot as my Roasted Tomato Habanero Salsa, but it has a decent amount of spice.  

Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa

Flavorful Eats

This Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa recipe combines the great spicy, smoky flavor from dried chile de arbol and the tang of tomatillos with other fresh ingredients for the ultimate homemade salsa!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Condiment

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2 cups

Equipment

• food processor or blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. fresh tomatillos husks removed, washed
• 5-6 jalapenos
• 1 large tomato
• 4-5 dried chile de arbol (link in post on where to get them)
• 1 garlic clove smashed
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Add the tomatillos, jalapenos, tomato, and dried chile de arbol to a large skillet (saving the onion, garlic, and cilantro for later). Turn heat to medium/medium-high and pan-roast the produce for 5-7 minutes, occasionally using tongs to turn everything over. Continue cooking/turning until all sides are nicely charred.
• Add roasted ingredients to a food processor or blender with the garlic, salt, and pepper. Puree until large chunks are gone. Pour the salsa into a bowl and then stir in the onion and cilantro. Taste for needed salt and pepper. Enjoy!

  * This recipe makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

Keyword Chile de Arbol, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Salsa, Spicy, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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